As a superior Public Institution of Higher Learning (IPTA) in Malaysia, UKM has moved to the front in encouraging schools to offer post graduate studies in science. UKM offers a marine science programme for under graduate students. The Marine science programme was established in 1985 courses offered include all aspects of marine physics, chemistry and biology at the UKM branch campus at Kota Kinabalu Sabah. This programme was moved back to the main campus in Bangi at the end of 1995. It is currently operating under the School of Environment and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology.

Since its establishment, the Marine Science Programme of UKM has experienced developments in various aspects that include expanding of the academic staff expertise and good teaching, numbers of knowledgeable students and high level of researchs. Nowaday, academic staffs from Marine Science Programme of UKM has reputed at national and international standings in various field such as researchs on marine organism diversity, fisheries science and fish ecology, research on toxic algae problems, marine microbiology and biotechnology and climate changes researchs in particular related with El Nino and La Nina phenomena. Recognition has been proven based on the various roles playing by the academic staffs as leader or coordinator in various global programmes organized by CoML, JSPS, IAEA and IOC-WESTPAC. Several academic staffs from this programme have regularly receiving invitation or deliver talks on various issues at national and international standings. With these achievements, development in knowledge and research, Marine Science Program of UKM are now offered the post-graduates programme studies in marine science.

Course Work & Full Time

Minimum 2 semesters (1 year)

Maximum 4 semesters (2 years)

Intake – 2 times a year (March & October)

*subjected to UKM academic calendar

English Language

STPD6024 Research Methodology

This course provides guidance in planning, implementing and succeed in scientific research. Students are introduced to the philosophy of science and ethics necessary to be adopted by researchers. Students are given exposure to determine and manage risks in scientific research. Apart from that, issues and rules related to research such as intellectual property, copyright, plagiarism etc. will be discussed.  Subsequently, students are guided to plan their research and prepare a research proposal. For this, students are trained with techniques in information search both manually and on-line, identifying issues and research objectives, planning research and experimental design within their period of study. Students are required to prepare their research proposal according to the format and free from plagiarism. Students are given the opportunity to present and defend their proposal in a seminar. Students will be evaluated based on written and oral presentation of the research proposal, and final examination

STAL6013 Advance Marine Ecology
In this course, marine ecology will be discussed in detail with emphasis on tropical and subtropical oceans. Main aspects discussed include the primary and secondary productivities. This is followed by discussion regarding the consumer population dynamics, consumer competition, and the relationship between consumer and producer. Furthermore, marine community dynamics and structure will be discussed which include trophic structure, taxonomy structure, space dynamics and community development. Biogeochemistry process and cycle that function in the marine environment will be discussed. Short term and long term changing processes occurring in the marine environment and the effects of these changes will be emphasized at the end of the course.

STAL6023 Mariculture
This course will discuss in detail the recent development of marine organism culture such as selected fish species, bivalves, cephalopods, crustacean and other potential marine species. Topics discussed begin with several relevant technical aspects in site selection, pond or floating cage preparation in marine ecosystem, handling and control of cultured stock species, aquaculture nutrition and feed formulation, transportation of life cultured organism and economical mariculture management aspect. The course will also include several case studies in relation to field visits in selected mariculture sites in Peninsula Malaysia.

STAL6033 Marine Microbiology and Biotechnology
This course will discuss in more detail on microorganism activity in the ocean. Studies in molecule marine microbiology involve processes including the bioremediation in hydrocarbon degradation, interaction between microbe and metals, and adaptation of microbe on extreme pressure and temperature will be emphasized. Moreover, metabolite bioactive aspects involved in the marine microorganism symbiotic interaction will also be discussed. Studies are corresponding with the biotechnology approach particularly in systematic characteristic of marine microorganism and bioremediation. Practical methods will be emphasized on the DNA extraction, PCR process, gene sequencing, data analysis and management.

STAL6034 Data Analysis Methods in Marine Sciences
Oceanographic and climatological/meteorological studies often involved in manipulation and utilization of complex spatial-temporally distributed datasets. These datasets are archived in various formats in order to facilitate transmission of abundant data over the internet. This course introduces processing of these data formats. Several software packages that are oftenly used will be introduced. Besides, modern analysis techniques for spatial and temporally distributed data will also be discussed. These techniques include spatial analysis, modern time series analysis as well as the concurrent spatial-temporal analysis.

STAL6043 Management and Conservation of Marine Resources
This course will discuss mainly human exploitation activities on coastal and offshore fisheries resources. Global history and fishery resource exploitation flow of the selected fishes species, status and levels of world fisheries resource management, and fishery modeling tools used in marine fishery stock assessment will also be discussed. Detailed discussion will focus on current development on several aspects of marine resource management that include policy and legal aspects of management and conservation of marine resources.

STAL6103 Advance Marine Chemistry
This course covers advance aspects of marine chemistry which is focused on the important aspects of ocean systems. The controlled process composition of seawater and chemical species in ocean will be discussed. The discussion will focus on the marine chemical characteristics that occurred which is related to the seafloor, atmosphere and marine organisms. Discussion on latest research related to marine chemistry field will also be conducted.

STAL6213 Coastal and Estuarine Oceanography
This course provides in-depth understanding of physical oceanographic processes at coastal, shelf sea and estuary. The first part of this course covers the physical aspects of estuary. These include estuary classification, circulation, stratification, mixing processes as well as wave and tidal influences. The sediment and pollutant transport in estuary will also be discussed. The second part of this course covers oceanographic processes at coastal and shelf sea. These include mixing processes, wave and tidal influences, circulation and currents, stratification and fronts. Exchanges between shelf sea and open ocean will also be discussed.

• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field with minimum CGPA 2.50 or equivalent, from any institutions of higher learning  recognized by the UKM Senate; or
• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field with minimum CGPA 2.00 – 2.49 or equivalent, with minimum of 5 years working experience or research project in relevant field. Proof of the working experience of a foreign candidate should be acknowledge by the embassy of the respective country; or
• Fulfill Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL A) for local candidates only:
  • should be more than 30 years of age in the year of application; and
  • possess at least STPM or diploma in relevant field or other equivalent qualification recognized by the Government of Malaysia and approved by the UKM Senate; and
  • possess a certificate of MQA APEL with MQF Level 7
• An international student shall obtain minimum results of TOEFL iBT score 46 / IELTS band 5.5 / CEFR band B2 / MUET band 3 (An international student who comes from a country where English is the official language, or who has obtained academic qualifications from any institution of higher learning that uses English as the medium of instruction may be exempted from the requirement for TOEFL / IELTS / MUET); and
• Fulfill other requirements prescribed by the UKM Senate from time to time.

1. Research Officer, Science Officer
2. Fisheries Officer
3. Meteorological Officer, Meteorologist/ Meteorology-ocean data analyst
4. Environmental Consultant
5. Aquaculture Manager, Entrepreneur

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Programme Coordinator Dr. Khoo Mei Ling Email : meilingkhoo@ukm.edu.my